Hot-air engine.



PATENTED FEB. 6

P. N. SILVNY.

HON AIN ENGINE.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 19. 1905.

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PATENTBD FEB. 6, 1906.

F. N. SILVEY. HOT AIR ENGINE.

APPLICATION rILBD MAY 19, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 19046.

Application filed MnylQ, 1905. Serial No. 261,194.

To al?, when?, t may concern:

Be it known that I, FAINEs N. SILVEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boaz, in the county of Marshall and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Hot- Air Engine, of which the :following is a specification. i

This invention relates to improvements in engines that are driven by the alternate eX- pansion and contraction of air or other eXpansible motive fluid.

The principal object is to provide a novel structure which is exceedingly simple and wherein the heating of the motive Huid is easily accomplished, while the heater supplies a draft to keep a portion of the engine cool in order to effect the contraction of said motive fluid.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the new engine. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view therethrough. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view through the motive-fluid cylinder. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2. j

Similar reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the embodiment illustrated a casing is employed composed of a horizontally-disposed working cylinder 7 and an upright motive-fluid cylinder 8, connected at its upper end to the rear end of the cylinder 7 and depending therefrom, said cylinders respectively forming a working chamber and a motive-fluid chamber located at substantially right angles to each other and in communication, as illustrated in Fig. 3. A reciprocatory working piston 9 operates in the Working cylinder and is provided with a stem 10, having an o'flset 11 at its outer end, to which is connected. a pitman 12. Said pitman is journaled upon a crank-pin 13, carried by a pulle y14, said pulley being attached to a flywheel 15, that is secured to a shaft 16. The shaft 16 is journaled in any suitable manneras, for instance, in bearings 1 7-upon one side of the engine. The outer portion of the working cylinder is preferably provided with suitable cooling-rings 1.8. y

Extending through the motive-fluid cylinder 8 is a centrally-disposed flue 19, which preferably projects above the upper end of the cylinder and the engine and is provided with a suitable damper 20. The lower end of this flue is open, and through the same extends a fuel-supply pipe 2]. leading from any suitable reservoir or source of supply to a heater 22, arranged in the fiue contiguous to the juncture of the cylinders. of fuel through the pipe to the heater may be controlled in any suitable mannen-as, for instance, by a valve 23. Movably mounted within the motive-fluid cylinder 8 and surrounding the :flue is a tubular displacer-body 24, that is movable longitudinally of the cylinder and flue, being connected to a stem 25, projecting through the upper head of the cylinder S and having an offset 26, that is operated upon by a cam 27, carried by the engine-shaft 16.

Itis believed that the operation of the engine will be entirely clear to those skilled in the art. The parts are so arranged that when the working piston is in its innermost position the displacer will be dropped, and therefore the air or other expansible motive fluid will pass into the upper portion of the motivefiuid cylinder and the inner end of the working cylinder. Vith the burner in operation it will thus be seen that the motive fluid will be rapidly heated, and thus expanded to drive the working piston outwardly, whereupon the displacer-body is elevated, causing the air to flow into the lower portion of the motive-fluid cylinder. As the draft caused by the heater will keep the lower portion of the cylinder cool, said air will be cooled, and consequently contracted, permitting the return of the piston. By this means a simple engine is provided that is not liable to derangement and wherein the heater constitutes not only the means for heating the motive fluid, but also constitutes :means for creating a draft to cool a portion of the motivefluid cylinder.

Freni the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art with'- out further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

The passage` IOO IIO

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an engine of the class described, the combination with a working chamber and a motiveiiuid chamber joined thereto and communicating therewith, of a piston operat ing in the Working chamber, a displacer operating in the motive-fluid chamber, and means for heating the motive-fluid chamber` at its juncture with the working chamber and vcreating a draft of air against certain of the walls of the motive-fluid chamber to cool the portions of the same that are separated from the working chamber.

2. In an engine of the class described, the combination with a working chamber and a motive-fluid chamber, of a piston operating in the working chamber, a displacer operating in the motive-fluid chamber, an open flue extending through the motive-fluid chamber and connected to opposing walls thereof. constituting a reinforcement for said walls and means for creating a draft through said llue to cool a portion thereof and of the chamber.

3. In an engine of the class described, the combination with a casing having a working chamber and motive-fluid chamber, of a piston operating in the working chamber, a displacer operating in the motive-fluid chamber, a flue extending through the motivefluid chamber and connected to the opposing heads thereof, constituting a reinforcement therefor, and a heater located in the flue and heating a portion thereof to heat the motivefluid chamber, said heater also creating a draft through a portion of the flue to cool the same.

4. In an engine of the class described, the combination with a casing having a working chamber and a motive-fluid chamber communicating therewith, of a flue extending longitudinally through the motive-fluid chamber and connected to opposing walls, forming a reinforcement therefor, said flue having an inlet and an outlet, a piston operating in the working chamber, a displacer-body operating in the motive-Huid chamber and surrounding the flue, and a heater located in the flue contiguous to the juncture of the chambers.

5. In an engine of the class described, the combination with a casing having a working chamber and a motive-Huid chamber disposed in convergent relation, said chambers communicating at their points of convergence, a flue extending longitudinally through the motive-fluid chamber and constituting a reinforcement therefor, a heater in the flue heating a portion of the motive-fluid chamber and causing a draft of air to cool another portion, a working piston operating in the working chamber, a displacer operating in the motive-fluid chamber longitudinally of the flue, and means for effecting the operation of the displacer.

6. In an engine of the class described, the combination with a casing having a working chamber and a motive-fluid chamber disposed in convergent relation, the inner convergent ends of said chambers being in communication, a flue extending longitudinally through the motive-fluid chamber, a piston.

operating in the working chamber, a tubular displacer operating in the motive-fluid chamber and surrounding the flue, and a heater located in the flue contiguous to the juncture of the chambers and heating said juncture, said heater causing a draft of air through the outer portion of the flue to heat the corresponding portion of the motive-fluid chamber.

7. In an engine of the class described, the combination with a horizontally-disposed working cylinder, of a depending substantially upright motive-fluid cylinder having direct communication with the working cylinder at its upper end, a piston operating in the working cylinder, a iiue extending longitudinally through the motive-fluid cylinder and connecting the ends thereof, a tubular displacer operating longitudinally in the motive-fluid cylinder and surrounding the flue, means for actuating the displacer, and a heater located in the flue, said heater heating the upper portion of the motive-fluid cylinder at the juncture thereof with the working cylinder and effecting a draft of air through the lower portion ofthe flue to cool the lower portion of said motive-fluid cylinder.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afliXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FAINES N. SILVEY.

Witnesses:

A. A. JOHNSON, WM. YORK. 

